The Oscars are finally here!

LOS ANGELES - The big day is here!!

As reported by the Associated Press, anticipation for the Academy Awards has been building all week, and finally, it's time.

The entire Hollywood & Highland complex is closed. Traffic is shut down on Hollywood Boulevard. Tourists can only get as close to the action as barricades and security will let them.

The stars are ready for their red-carpet arrivals, and the theater is ready to host the movie industry's biggest night.

Remember, stay tuned tonight with the Red Carpet beginning at 8 PM est.

The Oscars are only 2 DAYS away!!

Just as a reminder the 82nd Annual Academy Awards will be televised on this Sunday March 7th at 8PM EST/ 5PM Pacific.

For Oscar nominees and more insde info, check out the website for more info: http://oscar.go.com/

What are YOUR predictions?!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American film whose main character is adapted from a 1921 short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Now where was this novel back during my days of high school. I would have just died to read it!! This was a movie that I had to see and I am glad that I did. So many lessons, so much passion was in this film I will probably see it again (all 3 hours of it...lol)

"I was born under unusual circumstances." And so begins the story of Benjamin Button. A man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards unable to stop the hands of time. At first I thought what a wonderful thing, but I would soon take that statement back. As we follow Benjamin's story set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918 to the 21st century, we follow his journey that is as unusual as any man's life can be. benjamin's story is powerful, grand, thought-provoking, and not-so-ordinary when we really think about it. The places and people that he meets and discovers along the way, the joys of life and the love that he encounters, even the saddness of death makes ya just want to shout!!

Pitt and Blanchett's chemistry is just pure awesome! We journey with them through the thick and thin holding on to every bump and curve that this ride had to offer. When one goes to this movie they should escape in its mysticism and just float away! The actors in this film performed so well that it was just natural. There were moments when nothing needed to be said and the viewer could feel the response. Even in the closing moment of this movie, one can't help but just breathe and say WOW!!!! I can honestly say that I went into this film with no preconcieved notions, just a 'carte blanche'. Even a few tears fell from eyes as a result. Its powerful performance has already blown away the film awards ranging from Best Picture to Best Supporting Actress.

This film also showcases another up and coming actress Tariji B. Henson (The Family that Preys, Baby Boy, Talk to Me), enough that there will probably be some Oscar buzz floating around. All in all, its a MUST GO SEE for everyone!!



Grade: A

Seven Pounds (2008)

Such an inspiring film to go see during the holidays. Being that this is the season for giving what an excellent film to display this type of gesture.


"Seven Names...Seven Strangers...One secret"

Academy Award nominee Will Smith reunites with the directors and producers of The Pursuit of Happyness for the emotional drama . In addition to a great cast (Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Micheal Ealy) this film is definitely one for the books.

First I will start out by saying that I was a little hesistant to see this film. But I had to see it so that it would kill the curiousity. The movie trailer is one that that does not leave much to the imagination it somewhat had a lackluster approach. You just have to see it to satisfy the yearning.

One thing that I must say about this film is that the symbolism was quite interesting that fact that the number 7 was used represents "new beginnings". Thus the giving of "7 pounds of flesh" to seven deserving individuals to make up for the seven lives he destroyed is quite a powerful move. And I think that might be somewhat of its downfall, it was a little overworked and overdone. However, keep in mind the film was still good.

Throughout the majority of the movie it had a mysterious and somewhat confusing plot many times I was guessing during the film trying to figure out what's going to happen next. Seven Pounds was somewhat of a miracle considering all the loose ends that were tied up as it nears its ending, but it does, and it does so gracefully. All comes together though in its magnificent ending, which will make you want to tell everyone and anyone you meet to go see this movie now!

Now although this was a good solid movie, I'm not sure if this will be Oscar bound for Mr. Smith. It just needs a little more inspiration and maybe it might have a chance. The message however is very clear with this movie, sometimes people deserve a second chance to make things right, and why not start out by helping someone else. Maybe after watching it for a second time it will have a more powerful effect. All in all, I will say I was not disappointed with this film at all and I'm glad I was able to see it.


Grade: B+

Rewind Wednesday: Double Header Holiday Edition

Its Christmas Eve and I ask you this one question...Is Santa coming to your house tonight?!! Well I hope he drops off a little sumthin' for me!!

So today’s Rewind Wednesday: Holiday Edition is a double-header Scrooged and It’s a Wonderful Life. This is a personal shout out to a dear friend of mine, Radcliff who recommended Scrooged for the holiday list and why not with Christmas just a day away. And then to top it off I had to put another classic that would be near and dear to everyone’s heart.

Francis Xavier "Frank" Cross (Bill Murray) is a conceited, cynical television programming executive. He has found great success and wealth, but has become coldhearted and cruel. In the opening scenes he can be seen working out in a room with a wallpaper border that reads "Cross: A thing they nail people to".

This 1988 comedy film, is a modernization of Charles Dickens's novella, A Christmas Carol. Most of the characters in the movie represent characters in Dicken's A Christmas Carol. Frank Cross is Ebenezer Scrooge and his brother James is Scrooge's nephew Fred. Eliot Loudermilk and Grace seem to share the role of Bob Cratchit. Grace's son, who is withdrawn/autistic, is Tiny Tim. Lew Hayward, Frank's former boss, is Jacob Marley. Herman and his fellow indigents are the "portly gentlemen" who are collecting for charity and are refused financial help. Claire is Scrooge's former fiancée, Belle. The three ghosts have the same names. The Ghost of Christmas Past is a cab driver with a Brooklyn accent. The Ghost of Christmas Future appears as the grim reaper, with a TV screen for a face. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a campier female version of the ghost in the original story.

Next on the docket is a true Christmas movie for all generations!! It's a Wonderful Life (1946) is an American film produced and directed by Frank Capra and loosely based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern. The film is regarded as a classic and is a staple of Christmas television around the world, although, due to its high production costs and stiff competition at the box office, financially, it was considered a "flop." The film's break-even point was actually $6.3 million, approximately twice the production cost, a figure it never came close to achieving in its initial release. An appraisal in 2006 reported: "Although it was not the complete box-office failure that today everyone believes … it was a major disappointment and confirmed, at least to the studios, that Capra was no longer capable of turning out the populist features that made his films the must-see, money-making events they once were.

It's a Wonderful Life was nominated for five Oscars without winning any, but the film has since been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made, and placed number one on their list of the most inspirational American films of all time.
In 1990, It's a Wonderful Life was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in their National Film Registry.

In 2002, Channel 4 ranked It's A Wonderful Life as the seventh greatest film ever made in their poll, "The 100 Greatest Films" and in 2006, It's A Wonderful Life reached #37 in Channel 4's "100 Greatest Family Films" poll. It's A Wonderful Life currently ranks 30th on the IMDB's top 250.

In June 2008, AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten" — the best 10 films in 10 "classic" American film genres — after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. It's a Wonderful Life was acknowledged as the third-best film in the fantasy genre.

A more iconoclastic viewpoint was expressed by Wendell Jamieson in a 2008 New York Times article, which posited that the film "is a terrifying, asphyxiating story about growing up and relinquishing your dreams, of seeing your father driven to the grave before his time, of living among bitter, small-minded people. It is a story of being trapped, of compromising, of watching others move ahead and away, of becoming so filled with rage that you verbally abuse your children, their teacher and your oppressively perfect wife.

Merry Christmas!!